Concentrator



4 Sheets Sheet 1. B. TYSON.

GONGENTRATOR.

(No Model.)

Patented Oet.20,1891.

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(No Model.)

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B. TYSUN.

GONGENTRATOR.

No. 461,692. Patented Oct. 20, 1891.

WW1/wwe@ 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. B TYSON GGNGENTRATOR.

(No Modem No. 461,692. Patented ont. 2o, 1891.'

INVENTOR @by u Ata-1- M9 ie WITN ESSES Friend."

BRYAN TYSON, OF IVAS-IIINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-TENTH TO CHARLES A. METCALF, OF SAME PLACE.

CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,692, dated October20, 1891.. Application tiled October 14, 1890. Serial No. 368,083. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concern.-

@Re itknown that I, BRYAN TYsON, of Washington, vDistrict of Columbia,have invented certain Improvements in Concentrators for the MoreEffectual and Economical VOrking of Gold, Silver, and other Ores, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide devices suitable forconcentrating ores of low grade and obtaining concentrates to besubsequently further treated for the separation of the precious metal;and it consists in the matters hereinafter described and pointed Yout inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan View of a portion of my device.Figi? is a longitudinal sectional view of same on line c z, Fig. l. Fig.3 is aplan view of other portions of the device. Eig. et is a transversesectional view of same on line x 01:,Eig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side view ofcertain parts of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view ofcertain parts of Eig. 3 on line y y, and Fig. 7 is a plan showingrelation of sluice-boxes. Fig. S is a partial side elevation of thesluice-boxes.

A, Figs. 1 and 2, is a sluice-box of proper construction and grade forthe flow of the pulp containing the precious metals to be extracted. Itis preferably constructed with a chamber B C D, which serves to breakthe force of the water and pulp after passing down the'incline D. *.lhebottom ofthe sluicebox for a proper distance below said chamber ispreferably provided with boards E E, of proper width and thickness, withspaces E F intervening. They fit snugly between the side walls of thesluice-box and are properly secured to the bottom thereof. Thedownstream edges are preferably constructed about onehalf of an inchthicker than the upstream edges, thus giving the water and pulp asuitable fall.

G is a sliding gate thatworks in a groove at either side of thesluice-box and through a slot of proper size in the bottom of the box,below which it extends for a suitable distance. The construction shouldbesuch as to prevent material leakage and cause the water and pulp atall times to iiow over the top of the gate.

II is a screw working in a properjournal at either end.

I is a pulley secured to the screw and adapted to be driven by a beltconnecting it with a driving-pulley, (not shown g) but any otherconvenient mode of applying power may be employed.

J is an axle Working -in proper bearings.

and held by the sliding gate to be regularly l and satisfactorilydischarged therefrom, I employ a rake N, constructed as follows:

O O are uprights, that are preferably secured in pairs to the sides ofthe sluice-box, a proper space intervening between them to receive thelongitudinal bars T T', one pair on either side of the sluice-box. Thesebars T T rest at one end upon the lateral extensions G of the gate andat the other upon studs T", fast on the rack-bars P.

P P are rack-bars that are provided with studs T, upon which rest thebars T, and that mesh with the gear-Wheels Q Q, Said gear-wheels are'secured to the axle R, which works in proper bearings.

S S are pulleys of the-same size, one of which is secured to the axle Rand the other to the axle J.

Uj is a belt that connects the two pulleys and serves to revolve theaxle R. The downstream ends of the bars T T rest upon the projection Gof the sliding gate G. Said bars support the rake N at either end, uponwhich it slides during the upstream movement. The sliding gate G, thesliding bars P P, and the longitudinal bars T T will have acommon-movement, all being raised or lowered at the same time.

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A' A' are longitudinal bars of a sliding frame, preferably constructedon a level, and B' B' are crossbars ot' same. Said sliding frame isprovided with rollers C' C', Secured theretofwhich are supported by thesills D' D'.

E' E' are gear-wheels secured to the axle Y and mesh with gear-bars F'F', that are secured to the bars A' A', one on either side ofthesluice-box. The sills D D' are held in position by standards K K', thatmay be secured to either side of the slnice-box.

G is a bar secured to the cross-bars B' B', and connects with the stemof the rake N at H by a flexible joint. The rake is provided with asuitable number of teeth I' I' of proper construction.

Commencing a suitable distance above the chamber B C D and ending asuitable distance below the sliding gate G, it will b'e necessary toconstruct the sluice-box A with all the appurtenances thereuntopertaining, as above described, in duplicate. (See Fig. 7.) Vhile thesliding gate of one box is rising and the portion of the slnice-boxintervening between the sliding gate and the chamber B C D is being lledwith the heavier substances ot' value the gate in the other box will begoing down, and a similar collection there will be in process of beingwashed out and will Vflow thence to devices for effecting a furtherconcentration. The teeth of racks M on gate G and of racks P P stopshort of the ends of said gate and racks, respectively,asi11dicated,whereby their upward and downward movements are limited.

Then one of the sluice-boxes A has been filled to a desired height, thepulley S will be reversed, which will cause the sliding gate G and thegear bars or racks P P, that support the rake, to descend slowly, duringwhich time the rake will keep the surface of the pulp well broken, andwill thus prevent it from being washed out in channels, while otherportions thereof are left standing in bars or ridges. After the rake hasdescended api-oper distance the gear-wheels L L and Q Q cease to meshwith their respective bars, the upper teeth of the bars passing` belowthe center of the gear-wheels. Proper supports are prohalf-inch to theboards.

the gate in its elevated position. It is supported in its lower positionby any suitable means, and will be raised, so that the gears will engagethe racks, by any convenient means.

The rake is principally designed for use while the sliding gate G isdescending and the body of the pulp held above is being washed out.Consequently, while the gateis rising and the sluice-box above is beingiilled the rake can be lifted and` laid back on the sliding frame, theflexible joint at Il' ad mitting of this. After the sluice-box has beenproperly filled the rake should be turned back and the motion of thepulley I reversed. The rake, however, can also be employed while thesluice-box is being filled, if found best in practice. Vhile the depositin one sluicebox is being washed Vout the sliding gate in the other willbe rising and catching a similar deposit, and thus the sluice-boxes willbe alternately filled and the deposit therein washed out, iirst one andthen the other. After one of the sluice-boxes has been properly filledthe water and pulp are diverted therefrom at a proper point above thechamber B G D into the other box by opening a gatel and closing asimilar gate, each controlling communication between a sluice-box and asupplemental box A" common to the two main boxes, and a suitable streamof water, preferably clear, is turned into the abandoned box at or nearthe head of said chamber to wash out the pulp. These gates are sobeveled at their ends and fitted to openings with corre sponding bevelsthat they are held in place by hydrostatic pressure. The construction ispreferably such that when the sliding gate G is raised to its greatestheight the water and pulp will lack an inch, more or less, of heiligbacked level withthe plane of the bottom ot' the sluice-box situatedabove the chamber B C D.

The size of the sluice-box A will depend much on the quantity of pulp tobe worked; but two feet broad, one and a half feet deep, and eighteenfeet between the sliding gate and the chamber B C D are recommendedsnitable dimensions for ordinary purposes. The boards E E may be onefoot broad, one inch thick on the upstream edge, and one and a halfinches thick on the downstream edge, and the spaces F F about fourinches.

It may' be stated that the sliding gate will have the effect to overcometo a great extent the ordinary laws of gravity, and thus cause thecoarser and practically valneless particles of the pulp to be washedinto the waste. To be plainer, a lump of ordinary quartz and a particleof gold one-eighth the diameter thereof, both being round, havepractically the same specific gravity so far as capacity for settlingonto the bottom of a sluice-box is concerned. Consequently the largerparticles are disposed to crowd the smaller and more valuable particles,though composed of more dense substances, from the bottom of thesluice-box ICO IIO

int-o an upper stratum, and thus to a great extent prevent thesefinerparticles from being saved by any ordinary' gravity process when workedin connection with the coarser particles; but if a dam be graduallyformed by the rising of a sliding gate it is found that the finer, moredense, and more valuable substances are most disposed to bank, while theforce of the flowing water overcomes the ordinary gravity of the largerparticles, keeps them rolled to the surface of the pulp, andconsequently readily washes them into the waste. The substances ofvalue, such as iron pyrites, are usually broken finer than the lessvaluable portions of the ore. Consequently the collection above thesliding gate will be composed almost exclusively of the finer and morevaluable portions of thepulp, and are therefore in a suitable conditionto be further concentrated by a simple gravity process.

L', Fig. 3, is a sluice-box, preferably construeted from four to eightinches broad and of proper depth and grade for the flow of the pulp.`The sluice-box A, commencing a suitable distance above the mouth, ispreferably contracted gradually to a size suitable to connect with thesluice-box L', with which itis joined, as shown in Fig.7; but anyconvenient plan for delivering the substances of value held by thesliding gate G to the sluice-box L' can be adopted that may be foundbest in practice. The construction should be such that the sluice-box L'will only receive the substances of value that are discharged from thesluicebox A while the sliding gate is going down; but while the. slidinggate is rising the flow of water and pulp therefrom is diverted into thewaste at some convenient point below the sliding gate. B" indicatesgates, which may be raised by hand for this purpose, said gates havingbeveled ends fitted to the walls of their respective openings as aregates l. Y

Commencing at the downstream ends of the s luice-boxes A A,thesluice-box L' is preferably constructed in duplicate, the twoconverging' toward each other at a suitable angle until they areproperly united. From the junction down one box only will be necessary.(The contraction of the sluice-box A at its mouth and the branching ofthe sluice-box L into two parts near the upper end and the arrangementfor throwing the valueless portion of the pulp into the Waste, thusdiverting it from the sluice-box L', are not shown inthe drawings.) Thebottom of the sluice-box L' is preferably provided with a couple ofpieces M' M', preferably not less than twelve feet preferably of soin ehard nietal,and are brought to a sharp edge in front. Said blades workin slots of suitable size constructed in the sides of the sluice-box andare supported by the bottom of the sluice-box L', which is suitably cutaway to form apertures O' O" of proper dimensions. The sluice-box is cutapart in front of each of said blades to permit their relativeadjustment in a vertical plane, the loose connecting bars or strips S'S' being provided to prevent their entire separation. The downstreamportions are supported by the ends of the set-screws P' P';

are keys for adjusting the blades N' N' with reference to the aperturesO O". By loosening the upstream wedges and tightening the others theblade will be moved up to partially close the opening O', which also bya reverse operation can be made wider.

R' R' are irons of proper width and thickness placed across thesluice-box at right angles thereto. Theyform the upstream edges of theapertures O' O".

S' S' are irons of proper construction with a vhole in either end andare properly secured to the sides of the box, one at either side of thebox where cut apart, and thus prevent the box from parting. By means ofthe setscrews P' P' the blades N 'N' can be adjusted to any desiredheight, and by means of thel keys Q' Q' the dimensions of apertures O'O" can be regulated to any desired size.

In practice the heavier and more valuable substances will collect in thechannel in the center of the sluice-box, and when they reach the firstaperture O they will be caught be- IOO neath the sharp edge of t-heblade N and will be deflected thence into any suitable receptacle thatmay be constructed to receive them, from whence they can be takenforfuture treatment; but in order to take a higher grade ofconcentrations the upstream blade is preferably so adj usted astotakeout a proper percentage of the substances of value, leaving stillav portion thereof to be taken out by the lower blade, where a lowergrade of concentrations will be caught and deflected into the box T" inthe same way above described This box is placed on a suitable incline todeliver said product into the box U', which is preferably: constructedof cast-iron, the bottom thereof being circular' in form. From four tosix inches for width and depth is recommended as a suitable size, andthe length should couforin to that of the sluice-box L'. The box isplaced on a proper' incline, the upstream end being elevated a suitabledistance above the sluice-box L.

V' is a screw of proper size and construction and works in said box,being provided with proper bearings at either end.

YV is a pulley for propelling the screw.

X is a chamberof proper size and depth constructed immediately adjacentto the downstream end wall of the box U', said wall being common to boththe box and chamber.

vThe axle or nucleus of the screw is prefer- IOS IIO

ably turned down to a proper size for a suitable distance from the end.The inner and outer walls of said chamber are provided with properapertures, in which said axle works loosely.

Y Y are preferably pieces of india-rubber placed about the axle ou theinside of said chambersuiticiently tight to prevent material leakage.The chamber X should be constructed a foot (more or less) higher thanthe end wall of the box U. A stream of water sufficient to keep saidchamber full should be conducted therein. The Dressure of the water insaid chamber being outward, the pulp in the box U cannot interfere with-the working of the bearing at the lower end of the axle.

Z is a box of proper size and length and connects the box Uat its upperend with the sluice-box L. It is placed on a suitable ineline to carrythe pulp that is raised bythe operation of the screw from the lower endof the box Uto the sluice-box L', which will be washed a second timetothe apertures O O. The particles that go through the first aperture Owill be saved for future treatment. Those that go through the secondaperture ()wi1l be conveyed to the top of the box U to be again washeddown, and thus the work Will be continued. Particles of pulp can onlyfiow to waste by passing both the apertures O O. In this way we canprocure a high grade of concentrations at small cost and withoutmaterial loss.

Any other convenient mode for raising the pulp may be employed in lieuof the screw that may be found better in practice, and any otherconvenient mode for propelling same in lieu of a belt may be employed.

The following is the operation ot' my device: later and pulp containingthe substances to be concentrated are turned into the sluicebox A, atits head, and necessary power is applied to the belt-pulleys I, Z, andlV. The sliding gate Gr begins to rise slowly. The spaces F F betweenthe boards E E will break the force of the Waterand permit the heaviersubstances` to be deposited above the sliding gate. As the depositincreases in depth said spaces will, one by one, commencing first nearthe sliding gate, be filled, and we will finally have only the chamber BC D to break the force of the water, which will continue to do thisuntil the sluice-box be filled to the desired depth. After thesluice-box has been filled to its greatest depth there should stillremain a fall of one inch (more or less) at the upstream end of theincline D. The water and pulp will now be turned from this sluiceboxinto another of similar construction, and a proper stream of water,preferably clear, will be turned into the box j ust vacated. The motionof the pulley Iwill be reversed, which will cause the sliding gate G tostart down slowly. The rake N should be brought over onto the pieces VV, the teeth ot' which during the upstream stroke will extend a properdistanceinto thepulp. Asthegategoesdown the deposit held-above will bewashed out over the top of the gate. The revolving of the gear-wheelsEE, that mesh with the gearbars F F', will cause the rake to be drawnback and forth. lVhen the proper length of stroke has been attained, themotion of said wheels will be reversed by any one of the well-knownmethods that may be found best in practice, and thus the desiredreciprocating motion will be procured. The construction is preferablysuch that the rake will be drawn over nearly or quite all of the depositabove the sliding gate. During the downstream movement the ends of therake-stock willbe caught by the upstream ends of the pieces V V andraised sufliciently to draw the raketeeth out of the pulp. When the rakereaches the downstream ends of said pieces, the weight thereof willcarry them down onto the guidepieces TT, where the rake will then bedelivered. Said pieces V V will then resume their normal position, whichwill permit the rake to pass under them and make the upstream stroke,supported by the guide-pieces T T. During the -upstream stroke therake-teeth l l descend into the pulp a proper distance. lVhen the rakereaches the upstream ends of the pieces V V, it will raise them and passout, they immediately dropping down again. At the return stroke the rakewill mount said pieces, and thus the reciprocating motion will becontinued, the pieces V V serving as supports of the rake during thedownstream stroke, and the guide-pieces T T and T T will serve assupports during the upstream stroke. As shown in the drawings, theguide-pieces T T and T T are down at their lowest depth and thesluice-box washed out clean. Consequently all is ready to throw the rakeback onto the sliding frame and commence the operation of iilling, asheretofore detailed. The belt-pulleys S S being of the same size, theguide-pieces T T and T T will throughout their entire length have thesame npwardand-downward motion as the sliding gate G, causing the rakeat all times to perform its work with the desired regularity. The rakewill be of much service in causing a regular discharge ot' the pulp. Thedeposit held by the sliding gate will as discharged therefrom liow tothe apertures O O". The first O will take out a concentration to bereduced by any appropriate mode. The second O" will take out a lowergrade of concentrations that will be delivered into the box U. Therevolving of the screw V in a proper direction will elevate this pulp toa height suitable for delivery into the sluice-box L', from whence itwill be again washed over the apertures O O", and thus the operationwill be continued.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

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l. The combination of the downwardly-inclined sluice-box having in itsbottom a receptacle with the long inclined side D, a horizontal bottomC, and a short inclined side B, and the boards E E, with intervening;spaces F, located below said receptacle, the sliding gate, and mechanismfor raising and lowering the said gate, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the sluice-box, the rake hinged as at H, mechanismfor moving the rake lengthwise of the box, the sliding gate, adriving-pulley and intermediate gearing for raising the gate, ways orguide-pieces for said rake, and mechanism for raising said ways'simultaneously with the gate, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a slnice-boX,. a hinged rake, a sliding gate and waysto support the rake in its operative position, the said gate, andmechanism for simultaneously raising the gate and ways, substantially asset forth.

4. The sluice-boX L', having the inclined bottom pieces M' M andprovided with an opening O in thegroove between the two inclines, incombination with the blade N', substantially as set forth.

5. The slnice-box L', having the inclined bottom pieces M M' andprovided with an opening O' in the groove between the two inclines, incombination with the blade N' and with devices for adjusting the bladeboth vertically and horizontally, substantially as set forth.

6. The sluice-box L', having the inclined bottom pieces and intermediategroove and asA an opening O' in said groove, and the sluicebox U',provided with van elevating-screw and arranged with one end below andthe other

